


For the rare and radiant Maiden who the angels name

by UisceOneLove



Series: STB Bingo Fills 2021 [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bucky and Tony are good boyfriends, Grief/Mourning, Light Angst, M/M, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:13:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29795196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UisceOneLove/pseuds/UisceOneLove
Summary: Today's an Important Anniversary for Steve. As per usual, he wants to go it alone.As per usual, there are a couple of people who aren't okay with that.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: STB Bingo Fills 2021 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2190087
Comments: 5
Kudos: 28





	For the rare and radiant Maiden who the angels name

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my first STB Bingo fill!
> 
> And of course, I had to take something that could have been sweet and turned it into something sad. Title is from "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe.
> 
> Bingo Fill: Anniversary

The bell over the door dings when Steve steps inside the flower shop.

He's subdued already, as he waits in line behind a few other customers. There weren't many things on Steve's mind today. It's his day off, and while he would love nothing more than to spend it all in bed, there's one thing that's working in conflict with that desire.

"Hello!" The florist greets him when it's his turn. She's young, no more than a high-school student, and her eyes widen when she gets a good look at him. "Captain America!"

Steve barely manages a smile, but it's a real one. "Steve, please."

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she exclaims, flustered. "I just didn't expect to see an Avenger here is all." 

"I have an order," he tells her kindly.

The girl nods, "Of course. Let me check."

He waits while she goes through one of the doors behind the counter into a large fridge-like room. She comes back not even a minute later with a small bouquet of white lilies.

"These are what you were after, right?"

Steve nods. 

"They're beautiful," she says as she hands them over, "whoever they're for must be very lucky."

And while it's a nice thought, all Steve can do is give another forced smile and hand over the money before he walks out. 

He doesn't take his motorcycle or a car. Steve walks. He walks the long blocks through the busy city, mindful only of the flowers in his hands, until the busy city is behind him. Steve walks until he reaches one of the city's older cemeteries and still hasn't even broken a sweat because of the serum running through his veins. 

There are a few other visitors as Steve walks along the dirt path but he doesn't do anything to garner their attention. His phone vibrates in his pocket but he ignores it. Two guesses who it might be and he has no plans on answering them right now. 

Steve just wants this moment of grief to himself.

His feet carry him until he reaches the grave that he's memorized in the last few years. Someone had done a kindness while he couldn't; an elegant tombstone to replace the one he'd barely afforded and a stream of flowers. 

"Hey, Ma," Steve greets the plot softly. He kneels in front of her stone and sets the fresh flowers underneath Sarah Rogers' name. 

It's what Steve does, now that he's in the modern world. Every year, on the anniversary of her cancer dragging her away from him, he comes to see her grave and just...lets himself be vulnerable. He reverts back to that teenager who didn't have to hide his pain because his Ma was gone.

The hours pass as Steve tells her about the Avengers and the way they're just like the alley strays that she'd chide him for looking after. He tells her about Bucky's recovery and how good of terms he and Tony are on now. 

"I miss you, Ma," Steve isn't afraid to say out loud. "I love you."

He brushes his fingers against the granite and the inscription of her name before he is finally willing to get up and walk away. 

Steve supposes that he shouldn't be surprised when he spots a sleek black town car waiting at the entrance when he reaches it. 

Or the two men waiting against it.

"You should make it a better habit to answer your phone," Tony tells him, typing something on his own before he looks up. 

"I wanted to be alone," Steve shrugs.

"Out of the forties and still doing shit on your own," Bucky responds with heavy disapproval, arms crossed against his chest. "I told you, punk, that you don't have to." 

"Hard habit to break, I guess," the blond replies.

"Touching, really," Tony drawls, pocketing his phone and tugging off his sunglasses. He steps away from the car and gets in Steve's space because he's always thought he owns it. That was a half-truth these days. "We made a rule, remember? No more solo sulking."

Steve stares down at the genius. "That rule was specifically made for you."

"And now it applies to us all," Tony stated with a wave of his hand.

Bucky comes up next to him. "Majority vote, so it's a thing now."

Steve sighs and rubs his face, "I know you two would have sat there with me. I just wanted to be alone with her. Okay?" 

"Not okay," Bucky answers.

"But it's happened, so we'll just move on and keep it from happening next year," Tony adds.

Steve finds his hands occupied, held by both of the men in front of him. He has no option but to give in, and really, he doesn't want to fight it. 

"All right," he relents.

"Good!" Tony throws on a grin and pulls Steve into a kiss before turning to Bucky and doing the same thing. "Told you he needed a little chiding and it'd be fine." 

Bucky rolls his eyes with a bemused look to follow. "Let's just take him to the Tower so we can feed him and wrap him up in blankets, huh? Like we planned?"

Steve looks between them with amusement of his own. "So this is about spoiling me with comfort?"

Bucky snorts and squeezes his hand. "What else would it be?"

Steve's chest feels a little bit lighter as he lets them drag him into the town car. He should know better by now that they'll do anything to look after him. 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos are always appreciated!


End file.
